“Every man is a son, but only some are fathers.” Forgive me for not remembering who said that, but I do admit that I did not make it up. Being a father is one of the greatest privileges in the world! I want to take a moment to inspire any other dads out there. As soon as you become a dad you have a lifelong opportunity and responsibility to mold an individual’s soul! That is a weighty job! I think back on how my own dad shaped my life-wow! The way I work, the way I think about manhood, my outlook on women, what it means to be a manly christian, athleticism, education, honor, I could go on forever. Good or bad, great or terrible, our father’s shape our outlook on life. That is a fact. Some have even made the observation that the way our dad treated us is how we often view our heavenly father, God almighty.
So, I hope you are convinced that you, Dad, are absolutely, incredibly important to another person’s outlook on life and God. Now what! How do we sinning, imperfect, fleshly, flawed guys do anything good for these tiny creations of God? Many books have been written on the subject. But, in my opinion, the Bible makes it pretty simple. 1) Learn how God fathers. Does He discipline? Absolutely! He gave the Israelites a 40 year timeout in the wilderness. Does He give tough love or gushy, touchy feely, emotional love? Both! To His own son, Jesus, He gave a mission to die for the world! To the disciples, He promised them suffering because of following Jesus. He once told his most intimate disciple, Peter, “get behind me Satan.” But, then look at the way Jesus was with people. He touched them, had compassion on them, He healed them, he forgave their sins, He gave the gift of eternal life, He cried with those who lost a loved one (see the Lazarus story). Jesus told a story about the father of a prodigal son and said that the dad rejoiced and celebrated when his rebellious son returned. I think you get the point. Study the fathering technique of God the Father and the leadership and character of God the Son. By the way, God the Spirit is identified as the Comforter.
2) You can’t beat the example set by Jesus. Whether Jesus was with women, children, lost men, or saved men, He was compassionate and truthfully direct. Jesus is called the “Good Shepherd” in the book of John. He teaches us to take the initiative to lead, care, and protect those under our supervision. You and I dad, can be a “Pretty Good Shepherd.” If you have turned from your sin to trust in Jesus as Lord of your life, the heart of Jesus lives in you! The secret is to know His mind through consistent Bible reading about Jesus. We must let Jesus’ heart lead our own. I know on my own I can be pretty scary, tall, angry. But, when Christ leads I become understanding, forgiving, wise, patient, loving, a listener, and above all a good model. Everyone can be a better dad! Believers in Christ have the power of God and the teachings of God to get it done. So let me encourage you dad, don’t give up! The soul’s of your children and their children and the people they impact are worth our best effort.